The Disneyland Resort[1] is located in Anaheim, California. It is home to the original Disneyland Park, which opened on July 17, 1955, a favorite among visitors to Southern California from all over the world for well over half a century. It was joined in 2001 by a sister park, Disney California Adventure, which is a stylized recreation and celebration of California's rich history and culture.

Never completed
Walt Disney himself once said, "Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world." True to Walt's vision, the Disneyland of today is very different from the way it was half a century ago. To revisit the Disneyland of the past, visit Yesterland[2].

"To all who come to this happy place, welcome. Disneyland is your land. Here age relives fond memories of the past, and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future. Disneyland is dedicated to the ideas, dreams and the hard facts that have created America, with the hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration to all the world." — Walt Disney, July 17, 1955

"To all who believe in the power of dreams, welcome. Disney's California Adventure opens its golden gates to you. Here we pay tribute to the dreamers of the past, the native people, explorers, immigrants, aviators, entrepreneurs and entertainers who built the Golden State. And we salute a new generation of dreamers who are creating the wonders of tomorrow, from the silver screen to the computer screen, from the fertile farmlands to the far reaches of space. Disney's California Adventure celebrates the richness and the diversity of California, its land, its people, its spirit and, above all, the dreams that it continues to inspire." — Michael Eisner, February 8, 2001

The Disneyland Resort is divided into two separate theme parks, three hotels, and a shopping and entertainment district. The first park is the original Disney theme park Disneyland, which opened on July 17, 1955. Its sister park Disney California Adventure, which opened in February 2001, is located across the entry plaza on the former site of Disneyland's parking lot. Both parks are divided into "lands", or themes. At the western end of the entry plaza is Downtown Disney, the shopping and entertainment district. The three hotels are located at the west end of Downtown Disney.

The main difference between the Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World is that in Anaheim, there are many non-Disney hotels, restaurants and shops just a short distance from the park's main entrance. Walt Disney personally disliked how Disneyland was immediately surrounded and blocked in by non-Disney development not long after opening. He was careful to buy an enormous amount of land for his next theme park project in Florida, which he then laid out on a much larger scale. Thus, Walt Disney World is sprawling, while Disneyland is jam-packed.

Disneyland's rides are generally considered classic well-themed dark rides (e.g. Pirates of the Caribbean) with the occasional thrill ride (e.g. Space Mountain), while California Adventure's rides are more thrill-oriented (e.g. California Screamin') with some some family-style rides (e.g. Soarin' Over California). The Cast Members (employees) in all sections of the park are widely known to be very friendly and helpful. The attention to detail throughout the parks is extraordinary; however, most Cast Members will not know the history behind the details, but many books and other information regarding this can be found in the park.

The two biggest problems with the Disneyland Resort as a whole are crowds and price. However, with careful planning, both can be avoided. The easiest way is to plan your trip around times that most passes are "Blacked Out", or barred from entry.

Disneyland is one of the most visited theme parks in the world (with 15.98 million visits in 2010, based on the TEA/ERA figures, second only to the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World), so the parks can be pretty crowded, especially during the weekends, Summer, and Winter holidays, which leads to long lines for the most popular attractions. However, if you visit in the late Winter or early Spring, off-season lines can be short, especially during the weekdays. Disney California Adventure has fewer attractions but still has long lines, although not as long as Disneyland's attractions.

Eating outside the parks is quite possible due to the close vicinity of several restaurants to the park and the benefit of hand-stamp and re-entry. Stick to just snacks and maybe one meal in the park, and you can save some cash.

Disneyland is within driving distance of a number of Southern California airports. Regardless of which airport you land at, it is always a good idea to consider available alternative forms of transportation before deciding to rent a car. Airport shuttles and public transit are an ideal option, especially if you are unfamiliar with the area. While LAX is the obvious choice and the most popular, there are a few other options which are calmer and sometimes even make for an easier arrival.

John Wayne Orange County Airport (IATA: SNA) [3] is one of the two closest airports to Anaheim. The Disneyland Resort Express[4], operated by Gray Line, provides direct bus service to the Disneyland Resort from here.

Long Beach Airport (IATA: LGB) [5] is the same distance as John Wayne, about 14 miles from the Resort, and is the smallest (i.e. easiest to deal with) in the Los Angeles area. Depending on where you are flying from it's one of the easiest ways to get to Disneyland. Although there is no direct bus service from the airport to the resort, depending on the number of people in your party it may be less expensive to rent a car in any case. Interestingly, if you take the main exit from the airport, which is East Wardlow Road, eventually it becomes Ball Road, which runs directly across the north edge of Disneyland itself. JetBlue[6] serves 13 nonstop destinations from Long Beach: Boston, New York, Washington D.C., Fort Lauderdale, Chicago, Austin, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, Sacramento, San Francisco, Oakland, Portland, and Seattle.

Los Angeles International Airport (IATA: LAX) [7] is the largest airport in the area. The Disneyland Resort Express is also available here as well. Most visitors, especially those from overseas, arriving for a visit to Disneyland or to the greater Los Angeles area tend to arrive here. The LAX Flyaway shuttle bus service is also provided here to Los Angeles Union Station for transfers to Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner and Metrolink's Orange County Line.

LA/Ontario International Airport (IATA: ONT) [8] in San Bernardino County is within close distance of Disneyland; take I-10 (San Bernardino Freeway) west and exit into California State Route 57 (Orange Freeway) south which leads directly into Anaheim. Take either the Ball Road or Katella Avenue exit (3 and 2 respectively) and travel west. Alternatively, you can also take the Metrolink San Bernardino Line from Rancho Cucamonga or Upland to Los Angeles Union Station, where you can transfer to either the Orange County Line or the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner.

Bob Hope Airport (IATA: BUR) [9] in Burbank is the only Los Angeles-area airport that is directly served by Amtrak and Metrolink. Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner directly connects the airport to Anaheim. Metrolink's Ventura County Line links the airport with Los Angeles Union Station, with many daily departures (though limited on weekends). Transfers to the Orange County Line or the Pacific Surfliner can be made at Union Station.

San Diego International Airport (IATA: SAN) [10] is the furthest of airports from Disneyland. You will need to take the MTS Route 992 to Santa Fe Depot and take Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner to Anaheim or the NCTD's Coaster to Oceanside and transfer to Metrolink's Orange County Line to Anaheim in order to get to Disneyland.

As with much of California, by car is probably the easiest way to get to the Disneyland Resort from the surrounding area (or even San Diego, Las Vegas, and San Francisco). The Disneyland Resort offers ample parking both for day visitors to the park as well as hotel guests. All of the surrounding hotels offer parking, but some clearly do not have sufficient parking for the number of overnight guests.

Driving to the Disneyland Resort also means braving the Southern California traffic, which at times can be overwhelming. The Disneyland website offers driving directions [11], as do most online map sites. Traveling from the Long Beach Airport to the Disneyland Resort can be done using surface streets instead of freeways, which can be very crowded during commute hours.

The Disneyland Resort is bounded by Katella Avenue to the south, Ball Road to the north, Walnut Street to the west, Harbor Boulevard to the east, and the Santa Ana Freeway (I-5) on the northeast corner. The Anaheim Convention Center is located south of the resort across Katella Avenue.

Parking at the theme parks is $16 for Car/Motorcycle, $20 for RV/Over-sized Vehicle, and $25 for Bus/Tractor Trailer. Parking at Downtown Disney is free for the first three hours and $6 for each additional hour afterwards, charged in increments of $2 every 20 minutes. Valet parking is available at Downtown Disney for $6 extra from 5:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.

The main parking garage is Mickey & Friends, which is accessible from Disneyland Drive heading southbound from Ball Road. If Mickey & Friends is full, then portable electronic signs will be deployed to send you to other parking lots like the Anaheim Convention Center garage as well as the Toy Story, Simba, and Pumba parking lots. A tram takes visitors from Mickey & Friends directly to the west side of the plaza between the two parks, while shuttle buses take visitors from the other parking lots to the main transportation center on the east side of the plaza.

If you are arriving in Anaheim by train, a taxi is a reasonable option to get to the resort from the station. A one-way taxi ride from either the Anaheim or Fullerton Train Station is around $15 plus tip to the Anaheim Resort area.

One of the great advantages at the Disneyland Resort is that Disneyland Park, Disney California Adventure Park, Downtown Disney, and many "off property" hotels are all within walking distance. Unlike Walt Disney World in Florida, guests can walk between Disneyland Park, Disney California Adventure Park, and Downtown Disney in just a minute or two. There are approximately 12 "off property" hotels that are within a 10 minute walk. Some experienced visitors to the Disneyland Resort stay at the walking-distance hotels and find it more convenient to not have a car. It only takes five to 10 minutes to walk to the Disneyland entrance from a walking-distance hotel, and taking breaks in the middle of the day is much more convenient.

From 6:30AM-8:45AM, a free Orange County Transit Authority bus (Route 430) will take you directly into Disneyland from the station. That same bus will take you back to the station for free from 3:30PM-6PM. There is no service on weekends. Other than these times Route 50, which runs from Cal State University Long Beach to The Village at Orange, services the station by using Katella Avenue about every 30 min (though you will have to walk about 10 min down Harbor Blvd if you pick this bus). Other OCTA routes servicing the park but not the station are Route 43 (Harbor Blvd.), which runs from La Habra to Downtown Costa Mesa about every 20 min; Route 46 (Ball Rd.), which runs between Los Alamitos and The Village at Orange; and Route 83 (Santa Ana Freeway), which goes from the Laguna Hills Mall to the Disneyland Resort, by way of Santa Ana. The last four routes cost $1.50 per boarding.

Warning: Purchasing tickets online
Many tickets sold online through auction websites such as eBay or Craigslist are partially used multi-day park-hopper tickets. While this is very common, it is prohibited by Disney: the tickets are nontransferable. There is also an inherent risk to you as a buyer. If you are purchasing tickets online, purchase only from authorized brokers as resold tickets are subject to rejection at the gate.

Visiting Disneyland is expensive. Tickets are sold at several levels: the base ticket is the Single-Day Theme Park Ticket and enables admission to only one of the two parks for a full day. By contrast, the 1-Day Park Hopper allows you to see both parks on the same day and to move back and forth between the parks. Park Hopper tickets are also sold in increments of 2, 3, 4, and 5 days; while the ticket price increases with each day, the price per day actually decreases with each day. Multi-day Park Hopper tickets do not have to be used on consecutive days, but they expire 14 days after the first day they are used. The value of the Park Hopper ticket options should not be underestimated.

Note that only the 1 and 2 day ticket options, the annual passes, and the Southern California CityPASS are sold at the Disneyland Resort Main Ticket Windows. To buy the longer tickets (3-5 days), you need to buy them in advance, such as Disneyland.com/tickets, a travel agent, or selected tickets can be bought at a local hotel or a Disney Desk.

The prices below are effective May 18, 2014:

Days

ages 10+

ages 3-9

1-Park

Park-Hopper

1-Park

Park-Hopper

1-Day Theme Park Ticket

$96.00

$150.00

$92.00

$144.00

2-Day Theme Park Ticket

$178.00

$217.00

$165.00

$204.00

3-Day Theme Park Ticket

$226.00

$265.00

$215.00

$254.00

4-Day Theme Park Ticket

$250.00

$289.00

$235.00

$274.00

5-Day Theme Park Ticket

$266.00

$305.00

$250.00

$289.00

Children under age 3 are admitted free.

Discounts are hard to find, but California residents (bring a driver's license or utility bill to prove residency) will sometimes receive a small discount. AAA occasionally offers its members discounts.

CityPass website bonus
As an added bonus to purchasing the Southern California CityPass online (instead of in person at the park ticket counters), you will also get your choice of either the San Diego Zoo or the San Diego Safari Park (once used in one of these, the pass may not be used in the other).

If your schedule allows you only one day in San Diego, and you will be returning to Anaheim that same day, choose to visit the San Diego Zoo instead of the Safari Park. It is just 5 mi southeast of SeaWorld; that way, you can enjoy both attractions in as little time possible.

If you want a multi-day vacation to Southern California with visits to multiple attractions including Disneyland, you can save significantly by using the Southern California CityPass[16]. For only $331 for adults or $289 for ages 3-9 (prices valid for the 2014 year), you will receive a 3-day Park Hopper ticket, and 1 day each at Universal Studios Hollywood and SeaWorld San Diego. This makes for a wonderful week-long vacation and a very attractive, with about $90 off standard prices.

If you are in the military, you can visit your local MWR (Morale, Welfare and Recreation) to buy the tickets and passes in discounted prices. Buying an Annual Pass at an MWR can cost around $500 which is better than $650 at the park.

Once in the park, everything is reachable by foot. Disneyland also has pretty good access for wheelchairs and other mobility-assistance vehicles. The only exception is the Disneyland Railroad at Main Street. If a guest cannot get up and down steps in order to get into the attraction (Finding Nemo and Sleeping Beauty Castle Walkthrough) there is a room with a virtual experience of the attraction. See a cast member to access these rooms. Outside of the park, a car is again the best way to get around, though many hotels and restaurants are just across the street. The city of Anaheim also runs a shuttle service to the nearby hotels and the Anaheim GardenWalk Shoppertainment Center [18].

To make getting around a breeze, the Disneyland Monorail links Disneyland's Tomorrowland with Downtown Disney (theme park admission is required to board at the Downtown Disney station). However, it may sometimes be slow and inconvenient, usually at park opening. The Downtown Disney station closes 30 minutes before park closing and the Tomorrowland station closes 5 minutes before park closes.

From the Mickey and Friends parking structure you can board a tram to Downtown Disney/Main Entrance Plaza (World of Disney Store) and back. A bus shuttle service takes guests to the satellite parking lots (Pumba and Toy Story). The trams and buses run until one hour after the later park closing (usually Disneyland Park).

Disneyland Railroad: This attraction is one of the most beloved and symbolic of the park. The train is the first thing you see as you go through the turnstile. The trains run about every 5 to 10 minutes at each station. You can board the train at Main Street, New Orleans Square, Mickey's Toontown (Fantasyland), and Tomorrowland.

Horse and Carriage: The old-fashioned way to get around is by a horse pulling a cart behind it. This attraction gets you from the Town Square (front of Main Street) to the Hub (center of the park) and back. The attraction runs only in the daytime, during good weather, and when the horses are ready to work. Note the attraction closes about an hour before the first parade of the day. The average horse only works 4 hours a day, 3 days a week in the Disneyland resort.

Main Street Vehicles: The Omnibus, Franklin Cars, and Fire Truck. These vehicles run during the early day and before the parades. The vehicles take guests from Town Square to the Hub and back. These vehicles stop during any entertainment on Main Street that takes place in the street. These are real cars from the turn of the last century, running daily in Disneyland.

FastPass
Disneyland and Disney California Adventure offer their visitors a time-saving tool called FastPass. You can get a FastPass ticket at the most popular attractions by inserting your Passport (admission ticket) into a machine. The FastPass ticket allows you to come back at a pre-determined time (printed on the ticket) and go to a shorter line, called the FastPass Return line, to enter the attraction. This works well for very crowded rides, or especially busy times of the day. Although there is a specific time printed on the ticket (ex. Noon to 1 P.M.) the CMs at the FastPass Return line will accept your FastPass ticket any time after noon, for the remainder of that day. Also, make sure that you notice the return time before taking your FastPass ticket, since you cannot get a new FastPass until A) the printed time is reached, or B) two hours later, whichever time is shorter. In rare, possibly random cases, a "Bonus" FastPass may be given out with a normal FastPass ticket. These usually allow multiple people FastPass access to a less popular FastPass Ride.

Single Rider
Some attractions allow a special queue line for riders who are riding alone or are fine with being split up, usually these riders have a specific queue and/or entrance. Once at the front of the line, you'll then wait for an extra space for you to fill in. Keep in mind that Single Rider lines have a high chance of splitting parties up and isn't always faster then the main queue and will not take precedence over a FastPass user.

"I think what I want Disneyland to be most of all is a happy place, a place where adults and children can experience together some of the wonders of life, of adventure, and feel better because of it." -- Walt Disney

Disneyland Park[19] is the original Disney theme park which opened on July 17, 1955. While the park has changed dramatically over the years, there are still many favorite classic attractions, such as the Disneyland Railroad. Today, Disneyland boasts 57 attractions, more than any other Disney theme park.

Disneyland's themed lands are Main Street, USA (modeled after 20th-century Marceline, Missouri, Walt Disney's childhood town), New Orleans Square (modeled after 18th-century New Orleans), Fantasyland (modeled after a Bavarian village), Mickey's Toontown (modeled after the cartoon town of Toontown in Who Framed Roger Rabbit?), Adventureland (modeled after the jungles of Asia, Africa and the South Pacific), Frontierland (modeled after the Old West), Critter Country (modeled after North American forests) and Tomorrowland (modeled after science fiction authors' visions of yesterday's future).

Alice in Wonderland — A dark ride that goes through the film's storyline

Casey Jr. Circus Train — A train ride that goes around the exterior of Storybook Land Canal Boats

Dumbo the Flying Elephant — A spin ride on which one rides on "Dumbo"

Fantasy Faire — Where visitors can meet three of the Disney princesses

"It's A Small World" — An indoor boat ride that introduces visitors to singing children from all over the globe. One of Disneyland's most beloved attractions. During the holiday season, this attraction is decorated all in holiday glory

King Arthur Carrousel — A classic carousel ride

Mad Tea Party — A spin ride on which one spins on models of tea cups

Matterhorn Bobsleds — A bobsled inspired roller coaster that is based on the Matterhorn in Switzerland - note that for this ride there are two different tracks so ride both!

Mr. Toad's Wild Ride — A dark ride that goes through the scenes of the movie The Wind in the Willows

Peter Pan's Flight — A dark ride based on the movie

Pinocchio's Daring Journey — A dark ride based on the story

Snow White's Scary Adventures — A dark ride that is based on the story

Snow White's Grotto — A small spot next to Sleeping Beauty's castle that showcases a set of statues of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs that were a gift to Walt alongside a small wishing well

Storybook Land Canal Boats — A boat ride that goes through miniature scenes of famous Disney stories

Star Tours: The Adventures Continue — Recently revamped to take place between Episodes III and IV, this is a turbulent motion-simulator attraction in 3D which includes flights to iconic Star Wars locations, encounters with characters, and a story which ties into the timeline between the aforementioned episodes

Fantasmic! is an evening live action show that takes place on the Rivers of America. It is a wonderful show with many of the Disney characters, animation on a screen made of jets of water, and fireworks. Most days, there are street events along the parade route between Main Street, U.S.A. and "it's a small world." Mickey's Soundsational Parade brings music to the streets with one or two performances daily. During the holiday season, "A Christmas Fantasy" Parade brings the joy of the season to the streets of Disneyland. Both parades are a must see and will be enjoyed by all age groups. Also most nights, Disneyland puts on its famous fireworks show. There are many other shows at Disneyland as well.

Disney California Adventure[20] is Disneyland's sister theme park which opened in February 2001. The park has nearly doubled its attendance numbers since opening and is now ranked in the top ten most visited U.S. theme parks. It was originally called "Disney's California Adventure", but it was renamed in June 2010.

Disney California Adventure is divided into 5 themed lands: Buena Vista Street (modeled after 1920's Los Angeles), Golden State (which is divided into 5 districts: Condor Flats, modeled after the aviation days of 20th Century Mojave Desert; Grizzly Peak Recreation Area representing the Northeastern California wilderness; The Bay Area looks like 20th-century San Francisco; Golden Vine Winery, reminiscent of California's Wine Country; and Pacific Wharf, modeled after California's 20th-century wharfs, Paradise Pier, modeled after California's 20th Century boardwalks, Hollywood Pictures Backlot, modeled after Hollywood's studio backlots and "a bug's land", modeled after the movie "A Bug's Life" and the only non-Californian themed land in the park.

Toy Story Midway Mania! — Step right up and compete in an interactive Toy Story adventure like no other! You'll grab some 3-D glasses before boarding your ride vehicle and zipping off into a world of immersive, midway-style games

The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Undersea Adventure — A dark ride based on the movie The Little Mermaid

World of Color — A water fountain show that is nothing you have seen before, on a scale larger than a football field, shown nightly

Disney California Adventure has shows and a parade for visitors. The park is home of the Pixar Play Parade, where floats are based on the Disney/Pixar movies, The Incredibles, Toy Story, Ratatouille, A Bug's Life, Finding Nemo, and Monsters, Inc. as well as water and bubble effects. The parade is only offered on selected days.

In 2010, Disney unveiled a new water show called World of Color in the Paradise Pier area of the park. It is highly recommended that you get a FastPass at the Grizzly River Run area to assure access to a main viewing area. These are segmented into different colored areas, which before the show are marked by the special colored lamp. Certain dinner options also can come with a FastPass. Be sure to play the mobile game that gives you a chance to control the lights on Mickey's Fun Wheel for a short time.

First of a kind
The original Mimi's Cafe, which opened in 1978, is located on Euclid Street near the 91 freeway and is still in business. The location on Harbor Blvd. across from Disneyland's eastern boundary opened within the last 10 years. If you're on a tight budget, and if you have the time, this might be very well worth your effort.

When dining if you want to dine at the more upscale or "sit down" restaurants there is a good chance you will not be able to get seating without a reservation in advance. Some locations, especially the Blue Bayou Restaurant and Goofy's Kitchen, require a reservation weeks in advance. Reservations are made through Disney Dining at +1 714 781-DINE.

Blue Bayou Restaurant - The Blue Bayou is one of the most well known restaurants inside Disneyland. It offers amazing ambiance from inside the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. A great location for a romantic dinner or a sit-down lunch of their famous Monte Cristo Sandwich. Entrees $25- $35, you are paying for the ambiance not necessarily great food quality. *Reservation Highly Recommended* *Vegetarian Friendly*

Royal Street Veranda - Chowder and gumbo in bread bowls, New Orleans-style

Club 33 - Club 33 is an exclusive club with a membership limited to 521 people. This location is only open to members and guests but serves fine foods and alcohol. The waiting list to join can take many years for those who can afford the steep fees.

There are many gift shops throughout Disneyland and Disney California Adventure. They are so abundant, it is close to impossible to throw a stone and not hit a store. Some attractions even have gift shops located right at their exits. The complete list of shops in both parks may be found on the official website, via the links below.

Downtown Disney's anchor store is the World of Disney, the second largest of its kind, after the one at Walt Disney World. Essentially, this is a Disney Store on steroids. Downtown Disney also showcases a wide range of well-known retail chains. These are just a select few; see the official website [24] for the complete list. Food and drinks are also there.

Build-a-Bear Workshop

Compass Books

Disney Pin Trading

Disney Vault 28 (specializes in boutique style pieces with Disney characters and from various designers.)

There are many designated Good Neighbor Hotels[28] which are either within walking distance or provide transportation to and from the Disneyland Resort. Many other hotels and motels of varying cost and quality may be found in the local area. Start with Anaheim and Garden Grove.

Disneyland is within close distance of a number of other Southern California tourist attractions. Not surprisingly, some of these attractions have the word "Anaheim" in their names.

Anaheim Convention Center[29] Located directly south of the Disneyland Resort, across Katella Avenue.

Anaheim GardenWalk[30], 321 West Katella Avenue, 714-635-7400. A new outdoor shopping oasis, located just a stone's throw east of the Disneyland Resort.

Anaheim Ice[31], 300 West Lincoln Avenue, 714-535-7465. About 1 mile north of the Disneyland Resort. Has two Olympic-size ice surfaces. The practice and training venue of the Anaheim Ducks, where you can also learn the sport yourself. There are also figure skating and public ice sessions.

The Grove of Anaheim[32], 2200 East Katella Avenue, 714-712-2700. A concert venue located on the northwest corner of Angel Stadium's parking lot, adjacent to the Amtrak/Metrolink train station.

This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!